Automatic car-stopper for drawbridges



(No Model.)

P. O. FLOETER. AUTOMATIC' GAR STOPPER FOR DRAWBRIDGBS."

No. 572,252. Patented Dec. 1, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP O. FLOETER, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC C AR-STOPPER FOR DRAWBRIDG ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,252, dated December1, 1896. Application filed January 18, 1896. Serial No. 576.0%. (Nomodel.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP O. FLOETER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car-Stoppersfor Drawbridges; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to automatic car-stoppers for drawbridges, and hasfor its object the raising of a substantial obstruction between or uponthe rails of a bridge-railway when the draw is opened and keeping the obstruction elevated until the draw has been closed, thereby preventing acarfrom accidentally falling from the unguarded end of the track.

The object stated above I accomplish without the aid of springs orcomplicated mechanism, by providing a pivoted section of one or bothrails which may be raised in the path of an approaching car by a leveractuated by a weight, which, in its turn, is raised by band or chain andpulley connection with an auxiliary lever operated byasegment, or singleor double inclined planes borne by the draw.

The details of my invention are each fully described and the working ofthe device explained hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters designatelike parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 represents an endelevation of the draw, showing the segment attached to the box-beams;and Fig. 2 represents a side view showing the floor of the bridge insection and exhibiting in full lines the position of the parts when thedraw has been partly opened, the broken line indicating the positions ofthe parts when the draw has been completely closed. In this view thedraw has been so far closed as to bring the auxiliary lever into contactwith the highest portion of the segment.

Considering Fig. 2, A designates the stationaryportion of the bridge,and B the draw.

0 0 mark the beams or girders, to which is fixed in. any effective waythe segment D. It is within the scope of my invention to fashion thiselement of my device in the form of either a single or double'inclinedplane, as may be indicated in special constructions.

E represents the auxiliary lever or arm, pivoted at G to a hanger ofordinary design, attached, as usually arranged, directly to the undersurface of the floor of the bridge. At its free end the lever E carriesa roller F, suitably held in revoluble connection with the lever.

H designates a band or chain running over pulleys J and K and connectedwith one extremity of the main lever L. A weight M is attached to orfixed about the main lever, which possesses a fulcrum at N and ispivotally connected by the link 0 with the hanger P, fixed beneath thefloor of the bridge, as shown. The pivotal connection 0 is notessential, as the main lever may be pivoted directly to a suitablehanger from the floor ofv the bridge similar to that employed to supportthe auxiliary lever E. The remaining end of the main lever L ispivotally attached to a rod Q, which passes upward through a suitableaperture in the floor of the bridge and is provided with a hook orfinger designed to engage the orifice S in the web of the pivotedportion T of rail U, borne by the stationary part of the drawbridge.

The operation of my device is as follows: In Fig. 2 the roller F, borneby the auxiliary lever E, is shown at its first point of contact withthe segment D, the form of the segment appearing in Fig. 1. Assuming thedraw to be inthe act of closing, it will be understood that the positionhas not yet been reached wherein the rails of the tracks upon the fixedand movable portions of the bridge are properly alined for the passageof cars. The closing movement continuing, it is obvious that theunattached end of lever E will be gradually depressed, and by means ofthe band H the main lever L and weight M will finally be raised into thepositions indicated by the broken lines. pivoted portion T of the trackfalls into its regular place in line with the rails, but it is apparentthat until the roller F reaches its lowest position and the weight Mreaches its highest position there still remains a sub At the same timethe IOO stantial obstruction to the passage of a carwheel V along therail. It would be impossible, therefore, for the car to proceed Whilethe draw is closing, and by adding to the length of the band II thepivoted portion of the rail, together with the lever and Weightoperating it, can be removed to any desired distance from the draw. Asthe draw swings open in either direction the Weight M, acting throughthe connections described, raises both lever E and the pivoted portionof the track, as plainly set out in Fig. 2.

Having thus sufficiently described my invention, whatI claim, and desireto protect by Letters Patent, is

In an automatic car stopper for drawbridges, the combination of a drawhaving a section of rail\vaytrack and provided with a suitable segmentor inclined plane, a stationary portion of a bridge, a railway-trackprovided with a pivoted portion, a main 1ever, L, having a fulcrum and apivotal connection with the pivoted portion of said track, a weightadapted for attachment to one arm of said main lever, an auxiliary leverhaving a fulcrum and provided with a roller, F, near one end, meanssubstantially as described whereby the movement of said auxiliary levermay be transmitted to said main lever and weight, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP O. FLOETER. WVitnesses':

HARRY I-IooD, GEO. F. Hoon.

